Greetings Relatives/Frens/Humans, the Navajo Council Budget & Finance Committee is having a Work Session to Review Legislation 0172-21: which seeks the approval of the Budget & Finance Committee of Nez&Lizer’s “Navajo Nation Fiscal Recovery Fund Application Procedures, Forms, and Expenditure Plan Template,” according to Navajo Council Resolution CJY-41-21 Proposed Budget & Finance Committee Legislation 0172-21 is Sponsored by Budget & Finance Committee Chairman Jamie Henio and Navajo Council Speker Seth A. Damon.
I posted the 8.4.21 news story that I wrote about the Council’s approval to hand over the Navajo Nation’s share of the U.S. American Rescue Plant Act Fund, which is $1.8 Billion to nez&lizer and to create a Fiscal Recovery Fund Office especially for nez&lizer, who have not directed Acting Navajo Nation Controller Elizabeth Begay to Electronically Post on the nez&lizer website & Facebook page, the Navajo office of the controller website, Council website & FB page the Controller’s Report that was Submitted to the US Treasury on how the Navajo Nation spent its $714 Million in CARES relief aid.
I’ll be posting an electronic copy of Legislation 0172-21 and Council Resolution CJY-41-21.
The BFC work session is also being live streamed & recorded on::
VIMEO: www.vimeo.com/navajonationcouncil
YouTube: www.youtube.com/navajonationcouncil
NNC Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/navajonationcouncil/
May Peace Prevail on Mother Earth!
Navajo Council Delegate/Budget & Finance Committee member NATHANIEL BROWN needs OUR SUPPORT. Sadly, It’s RARE that our Public Servants/Elected Official TRULY ACKNOWLEDGE who We Are Blessed to be, which is DINE’.
Council Delegate/BFC member Brown said during a Work Session on proposed Legislation 0172-21, which seeks BFC approval of the nez&lizer guidelines/policies & application for the $1.8 Billion in American Rescue Fund Act COVID-19 relief aid, that he wants Legislation 0172-21 to be amended to include ACKNOWLEGEMENT of OUR HATAALIIS, whom he said provided traditional healing & counseling to the Dine’ Without regular pay.
Brown said the Hataaliis put their lives on the line. We did lose some medicine people. Anyone who is on council and who has clan, we are dine’.
I REALLY woud like to work on amendment to include them. They are definitely in the guidelines. Hataaliis are part of census and by every right they shud be part of this.
And with medicine men, I know Peacemaking is already included in LEGISLATION 0172-21 .
And lot of front line workers received bonusses to have their Student Loans Forgiven and so is there way to assist hospital and health workers with paying off their student loans.
Brown recalled a Young lady from Kayenta, Valentina Blackgoat, and as a navajo govt employee, she provided guidance on COVID-19 per Navajo govt, which involved working with police, etc And she passed away from COVID in line of duty. Is there way to compensate her child so she feels that her mom didn’t die in vain.
Brown added that a Nurse from Kayenta hospital also passed away.
And now teachers are reaching out to him. I’ve had teachers tell me, and a lot of people are returning to Dine’ herbalists who have to go long distances to gather herbs due to the drought. We are just using our historical healing knowledge which we did before western medicine.
Brown said We shud honor who we are and that shud be reflected in this legislation. I will write up what I’m proposing and send to everyone, including legal counsel.
10:41 am, 9.1.21
PROPOSED AGENDA OF THE BUDGET AND FINANCE COMMITTEE OF THE NAVAJO NATION COUNCIL September 1, 2021 Work Session 9:00 am Via Teleconference: 669 900-6833, Zoom meeting ID: 232 628 2566, Passcode: 86515
Presiding: Jamie Henio, Chairperson
Raymond Smith, Jr., Vice Chairperson
Place: Via Teleconference, Window Rock, Navajo Nation (Arizona)
Members Present:
_ Elmer P. Begay _ Jamie Henio
Nathaniel Brown _ Raymond Smith, Jr.
Amber K. Crotty _ _ Jimmy Yellowhair
- Call the Work Session to Order; the Roll Call; the Invocation
- Recognize Guests and Visiting Officials
- Review and Adopt the Agenda
M: S: Vote: Yeas: Nays - Receive Reports:
a. Review of the Legislation No. 0172-21: An Action Relating to the Budget and Finance Committee; Approving the Navajo Nation Fiscal Recovery Fund Application Procedures, Forms, and Expenditure Plan Template, Pursuant to CJY-41-21 Sponsored by Jamie Henio and Seth A. Damon, Council Delegates
M: S: Vote: Yeas: Nays - Close of the Work Session; Written Announcements; Adjournment
M: S: Vote: Yeas: Nays
Next Regular Meeting: September 7, 2021
THIS AGENDA IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE. The public is advised that the Navajo Nation Council Agenda and the Agendas of the Standing Committees are not final until adopted by a majority vote of the Navajo Nation Council or the Standing Committee at a Navajo Nation Council or a Standing Committee meeting pursuant to 2 N.N.C. §§163 and 183, Navajo Nation Council Rule of Order
Here’s a news story on wrote about the $1.8 Billion Navajo Nation Office of the President and Vice President Fiscal Recovery Fund Office on August 4, 2021:
WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. (8.4.21) – Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez and Vice President Myron Lizer have a new office and a $1.8 billion operating budget that could jump to $2.5 billion.
According to a joint press release from Nez, Lizer, and the Council, Nez and Lizer were joined by Navajo Nation Council Speaker Seth Damon and Council Delegates Carl Slater, Wilson Stewart, Jr., Rickie Nez, Thomas Walker, Jr., and Mark Freeland, as Nez signed Council Resolution CJY-41-21 into law Monday, which established the Navajo Nation Fiscal Recovery Fund Office in the Office of the President and Vice President and the Expenditure Authorization Process for the American Rescue Plan Act allocation of $1.8 billion.
“After decades of unfinished infrastructure, struggling economy, and inadequate education systems, the Navajo Nation is on the doorstep of changing our future for our grandchildren,” Nez said. “In the process, we initiated projects to install water lines, wastewater systems, electricity, and broadband for hundreds of families and communities. With the Navajo Nation Fiscal Recovery Fund, we envision to increase those efforts to combat COVID-19 and build a stronger foundation for many generations to come.”
Council Delegate Carl Slater, who sponsored the $1.8 billion fiscal recovery fund legislation, which the Council approved after a five-hour debate July 22, informed the Council during their debate that the Navajo Nation would be receiving additional ARPA funds that could increase the $1.8 billion to $2.5 billion.
The new law allows for the reimbursement of projects funded by the Síhasin Fund and the Undesignated, Unreserved Fund Balance with the $1.8 billion in ARPA funds, supports CARES Fund projects that were not completed, and waives certain provisions of the Appropriations Act to allow for Navajo Nation Fiscal Recovery Funds to be processed as emergency procurements.
Jared Touchin, executive office spokesman, and Kyron Hardy, office of the speaker spokesman, said all funds deposited into the Fiscal Recovery Fund will be used in compliance with all ARPA purposes and guidelines.
Touchin and Hardy said the U.S. Department of Treasury allocated $1.8 billion to the Navajo Nation in May under the American Rescue Plan Act, for recovery efforts related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Hady noted that the Office of the President and Vice President Navajo Nation Fiscal Recovery Fund Office will provide central support and regulatory costs upfront to establish the legal, financial, and regulatory infrastructure necessary to support NNFRF expenditure plans of funding from CARES Fund projects that were approved but not completed.
He added that the Council approved two amendments to Slater’s fiscal recovery legislation and the first one was made by Delegate Kee Allen Begay to include a Central Agency Council resolution supporting the establishment of a fiscal recovery fund and expenditure authorization process.
Begay also sponsored the second amendment, which mandates that ARPA funds that have been allocated and not spent by the end of the second quarter of Fiscal Year 2024 shall revert to the NNFRF and be made available for allocation to other NNFRF projects and services.
